1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pressure plate subassembly for a motor vehicle friction clutch which subassembly, when the motor vehicle friction clutch is in assembled condition, comprises a pressure plate which is connected to a flywheel to rotate jointly around an axis, and which pressure plate can be axially displaced with respect to the flywheel. The pressure plate has a friction surface which faces the flywheel, and has at least one clearance sensor provided at the pressure plate. The clearance sensor has an operation lever segment which cooperates with a play adjustment device and an axial stop segment which cooperates with the flywheel, whereby the clearance sensor, of which there is at least one, can be displaced in an axial direction with respect to the pressure plate and is held to the pressure plate in an axial direction, preferably by pre-tensioning.
2. Background Information:
In the production or assembly of motor vehicle friction clutches, the various components or subassemblies for the motor vehicle friction clutch are commonly produced or pre-assembled by different manufacturers and then assembled by the manufacturer of the motor vehicle, for example. It is especially common that the pressure plate subassembly and the flywheel for the motor vehicle friction clutch are produced by different manufacturers. Transporting such pressure plate subassemblies either from the manufacturer to the customer, or within the manufacturer's plant, incurs the risk of unintentionally applying a displacement force to the clearance sensors already arranged on the pressure plate of the pressure plate subassembly, so that its end segment, which cooperates with the flywheel, moves closer to the pressure plate, and especially to the friction surface of the pressure plate. This then leads to an adjustment process of the play adjustment device provided on the pressure plate. Prior to assembling the motor vehicle friction clutch, the clearance sensor must therefore be manually set back to its original position, whereby the play adjustment device which cooperates with the clearance sensor must be simultaneously reset into an initial position. In addition, there is a risk that the unintentional displacement of the clearance sensor may also go unnoticed, and the motor vehicle friction clutch can thus be assembled with an already displaced clearance sensor which cannot perform its intended function at the start of operation.